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Veteran fusiliers to march on London

Veterans campaigning to save an historic Lancashire army regiment are marching on London today.

The Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is under threat because of defence cuts.

The battalion recruits across the North West and has an area head quarters in Bury.

A contingent from Lancashire will join others from Warwickshire, the North East and South East on the demonstration. About 400 members of the regiment are expected to march from the Cenotaph to the Palace of Westminster.

One of the organisers is Dennis Laverick. Three generations of his family have served in the regiment.

He said: "I'm disgusted with what's going on.

"My family have been in this regiment, the Fusiliers for so long, and it looks like we're getting kicked down the road.

"I'm just very disappointed with it all."

Supporters of the regiment say its heritage is a vital part of how it recruits young soldiers. But that heritage will disappear if the battalion folds.

Under plans published in July the Second Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers will be removed from the Order of Battle and absorbed into the rest of the Regiment in the autumn of 2014.

The Ministry of Defence said the move is necessary to help create an "agile, capable, formidable force"** **for the 21st century.

The MoD's plans, known as Army 2020, will see 17 fewer major units in total.

Announcing the changes, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "After inheriting a massive overspend from the last Government, we have had to make tough decisions to implement our vision of a formidable, adaptable and flexible Armed Forces.

"After a decade of enduring operations, we needed to transform the Army and build a balanced, capable and adaptable force ready to face the future.

"Army 2020 will create a more flexible and agile Army. Unlike the past, it will be set on a firm foundation of men and materiel, well trained, well equipped, and fully funded.

"The Regimental system will remain the bedrock of the Army’s fighting future."

The veterans taking part in today's march will also head into the House of Commons where the Army 2020 project is being discussed by MPs.